This is my next project. I'm going to make some gigantic dungeon maps and thought I'd try to make it in Illustrator to keep down the file sizes.

As a side effect I'm hoping to be able to make encounter maps from the same file (as it will hopefully will be fully scalable).

Below is a rough draft. Comments welcome.

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Axiie

12-25-2012, 05:08 PM

I've never really dabbled with anything in Illustrator, mostly done stuff in Photoshop. Keeping the file sizes down would be a massive plus and I can imagine some wicked ass colossal maps and even sub-terrain cities done in illustrator.

The style I use for dungeon mapping via PC though doesn't seem to lend itself to Illus; just been playing with it. How are you approaching it?

mearrin69

12-26-2012, 03:23 AM

I like the style. If there's anyway to fade your rock texture instead of having a straight border, I think it'd look slightly better?
M

Carnifex

12-26-2012, 05:38 AM

I like the style. If there's anyway to fade your rock texture instead of having a straight border, I think it'd look slightly better?
M

I have an idea to fade the rock texture. I'll try it later.
Here's an update - 150dpi resolution. Added strairs and doors. They are made as symbols so I can add them quickly and also update them all at once. Will now start to build a vector symbol library. Anyone knows a good place to find or buy nice vector objects?

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tilt

12-26-2012, 06:31 AM

looking good Carnifex - haven't mapped much in Illustrator either - I used it for making the road map for my city of Breakwater - then post work in Photoshop after. I like the idea of using symbols for mapping elements as well :)

Carnifex

12-26-2012, 07:14 AM

looking good Carnifex - haven't mapped much in Illustrator either - I used it for making the road map for my city of Breakwater - then post work in Photoshop after. I like the idea of using symbols for mapping elements as well :)

With the rock texture, see if you can start the fading a bit closer to to the walls and allow for more opacity closer in, but ending in at the same distance from the outer edge as you do now. In my head that style helps frame it a bit more and gives a more rustic appearance.

Carnifex

12-27-2012, 08:46 AM

With the rock texture, see if you can start the fading a bit closer to to the walls and allow for more opacity closer in, but ending in at the same distance from the outer edge as you do now. In my head that style helps frame it a bit more and gives a more rustic appearance.

Thanks for your input but I'm not sure I will correct this at the moment - the rock texture is now a border and the fading is actually from the inside as well. I haven't figured out any other way to solve it right now.

Vellum

12-29-2012, 12:04 PM

I really think this is more than fading to give it a more random look so it doesn't look like a border. I'm not familiar with illustrator, but if you gave it a jagged border with multiple ins and outs then use the earth/rock patter fill with a fade I think this would give a nice look. just my opinion, take it with a grain of salt LOL

Carnifex

12-29-2012, 08:25 PM

I really think this is more than fading to give it a more random look so it doesn't look like a border. I'm not familiar with illustrator, but if you gave it a jagged border with multiple ins and outs then use the earth/rock patter fill with a fade I think this would give a nice look. just my opinion, take it with a grain of salt LOL

I'll try out some different thinks I have up my sleeve later.
Here are some furniture I drew today in Illustrator (comments welcome):

ruff

12-30-2012, 01:02 AM

This is something I have been following since I seen it.. I have little experience in illustrator but I have it and enjoy what I have seen so far..

Carnifex

12-31-2012, 10:42 PM

An update. Drew some more furniture and stuff.

Carnifex

01-01-2013, 12:23 PM

This takes some time. Now I'm working on a fountain/well (see below). I just drew the outline and are now working on shadows etc.

Carnifex

01-01-2013, 06:02 PM

Here are the most of the objects I'll do for now. I thought I'd do more stuff when I need it.

I also need more floor variants and some solution for different grounds - rock, grass, mud etc.

Kier

01-01-2013, 09:03 PM

coming along nicely. Like the floor tiles, simple but effective.

Carnifex

01-01-2013, 11:09 PM

Below you can see my test to make the walls as a custom brush in Illustrator. Not entirely satisfied but maybe on the right track. The main concern is that the brush gets squeezed a bit when the wall is shorter than the original artwork for the brush - and it seems there is no solution to this. I could do just one stone that is repeated but it might not look good. Will try tomorrow.
Edit: inserted an additional image.

Carnifex

01-02-2013, 03:00 PM

Here's a small but important update. I've rounded the corners to trick the brush. Now problem is that I can't have any sharp corners :(
Any comments?

Rodan

01-02-2013, 04:02 PM

Carnifex,

Very nice, and adding text is much easier in Illustrator over Photoshop (my opinion). I do most of my stuff in Illustrator except textures. I do import these into and add them to my overall file in Illustrator. Upon completion I'll flatten the layers of a copy and place it into Photoshop to finalise any brush work. The Illustrator symbol feature (under the windows section) is fun to use as well. I love your border!

My opinion again, for those that have one of the Abobe Creative Suites that include both photoShop and Illustrator the working area gives you great leeway in plotting your map style (Illustrator), and then to add textures and blend colors (PhotoShop). I love the fact that I can also group objects together in Illustrator much easier than in PhotoShop.

Axiie

01-02-2013, 06:11 PM

I like the rubble effect more than the previous style you were using; this effect gives it more of a 'dungeon' feel, whereas the previous one made it feel more like a map that was drawn. I don't think I'm explaining myself very well ><

Suffice to say, I really do like your styles (both of them) and would be very interested in knowing more about your pipeline for this type of design.

What type of technique did you use to get the outer pattern, if I might ask? It's just I'm attempting a similar thing in Photoshop and having no luck.

Carnifex

01-26-2013, 12:58 PM

What type of technique did you use to get the outer pattern, if I might ask? It's just I'm attempting a similar thing in Photoshop and having no luck.

I guess you mean the stone in the walls? I made it with a custom brush in Illustrator (pattern brush I think). As far as I know it can't be done in a good way in Photoshop. You could make a custom brush in Photoshop to get a similar result. A little tutorial: http://www.cartographersguild.com/how-do-i/10865-circular-city-wall-help.html